In heretofore known clothes driers, various hot fluids have been used as drying means. In particular, hot air has been employed, blown inside a clothes drier, at a temperature of the order of 120.degree. C., but such a method of drying presents the drawback of being particularly long and of consuming a considerable amount of energy. To overcome this drawback, it has already been envisaged to use, for drying laundry, superheated steam placed in forced circulation through an enclosure containing the laundry to be dried.
Document WO No. 89/04392 discloses a method and an apparatus for drying, a load of laundry contained in an enclosure, by means of superheated steam. The superheated steam is made to circulate through the enclosure, in closed circuit, by means of a fan mounted upstream of the enclosure and downstream of a source of heat so as to deliver into the enclosure the steam evaporating from the laundry. At the beginning of a drying cycle, the air contained in the enclosure is delivered via a vent to which a condenser is connected in by-pass.
Document EP-A-0 026 707 discloses a method and an apparatus for drying, in which the drying cycle comprises a first spinning phase in which there is circulated through an enclosure, containing the material to be dried, steam produced by an independent steam generator, and a second phase in which there is circulated, by means of a fan connected upstream of the enclosure, the steam evaporated from the moist material, this steam passing through a superheater. A condenser is connected in by-pass at the outlet of the enclosure containing the moist material.